Harry Potter and the Hero's Path
by BlindHealer87
Summary: At the age of seven, Harry learns that he is a wizard and grows to become the hero that the wizarding world needs. No slash! Cheers!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclamer: I do not own anything from this story.**

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley were looked upon as having the picture perfect family. Having a very-well organized house, good income, and a popular son. The men of the neighborhood enjoyed Vernon Dursley's company, for he was the richest, when they went out for drinks. He was also most of the men's boss at the drilling company they worked at, so getting on his good side was in their best wishes. Petunia Dursley was also well liked, among the women that is, as she was the top gossiper. Along with having their son, Dudley Dursley, they were quite happy, or would be if it wasn't for the dark haired boy who lived with them.

This boy was a lot different than the other boys. This boy enjoyed studying, exercising, and helping others. The other boys preferred to watch television, playing video games, and picking on the younger kids while doing so behind the adults backs. The Dursley's saw how different their nephew was, even if his qualities were better, and hated him for it, thinking it was unnatural. Unnatural was almost a common occurrence with him, for unexplainable things would happen to him. The Dursley's enjoyed the lime light that they got, and feared anything that could possibility take that away from them.

Vernon Dursley was not a happy man. After the school year got out for the two boys, he would have ready a list of chores for his nephew to do for the summer. Keeping his freaky nephew busy for the summer was a brilliant plan, or so he thought. After two weeks of work, the boy had all of the chores done and completed perfectly. When the boy asked if there was any thing else he could help him with, Vernon grew angry.

"Get out of my sight, you freak!"

The boy was scared from his uncle's angry words and ran out of the house. After he settled down for a bit, he found himself in the neighborhood park. He sat down on the swing, and saw other children go by, all happily playing until they saw him and left to go play on the other side of the park. The boy sighed as they left, knowing all too well what would happen if they did play with him.

It didn't take long for the skinny seven year old boy to learn not to reach out for others his age. When he was younger he did try to make friends, but his cousin and his gang would make life difficult for whoever approached him. The young boy would try to standup for himself and his hopefully new friend, but then the other boys would hit each other and then blame their injuries on the two new friends. From constantly getting in trouble, the boy was left alone, no one wanting to also get in trouble. After school, the boy would receive beatings for "his trouble making". The last time he tried making a friend the same thing happened, but when he got home, Dudley told his parents how he and his friends were being bullied by him, while trying to look cool in front of some new kid.

"What's the meaning of this, boy?"

"He's lying Uncle!" The boy said, tears starting to develop in his eyes. "I tried to make friends today, and Dudley bullied my friend away! Every time I try to be nice, Dudley scares them away!"

_SMACK_ "DON'T YOU EVER TALK BAD ABOUT YOUR COUSIN AGAIN! UNDERSTAND!? YOU LYING, BLOODY, LITTLE PRICK!"

Holding his bruised face, the boy was then thrown into his cupboard under the stairs, with no dinner for the night.

"Oh, and I know all about how you like to try and corrupt the other kids on the school grounds with your idiocy. So if I ever hear you go near someone else again, this punishment will like a love tap."

So there the dark haired boy sat in the park, all alone without a friend in the world.

Not to far away, a group of boys surrounded a couple of younger girls. The leader of the group, who was Dudley Dursley as he was the largest and fattest, stepped forward.

"You know, I just hate it when it comes to this."

"W-What?," Said one of the smaller girls.

Dudley smirked, "I just hate it when my friends and I have to take what we want with force."

"W-w-what do you w-want?"

The group of older boys laughed while Dudley rubbed his fat fingers together, "Well our fee of course. The fee for coming across our turf."

"We didn't know! Here, all we have is five dollars we were going to get ice cream with." The small girl shakily took out the money and tossed it on the ground.

"Yes, well that's all good now, but since we're all here…." The boys laughed again as they planed on smacking the two little girls around for fun, before they themselves got some ice cream.

"Leave them alone!" Came a voice behind the group.

Dudley looked around, so did everyone else, "Well, well. If it isn't skinny, little Potter. You come to also get smacked around? " The boys laughed, who always enjoyed a game of "Harry Hunting".

"I won't let you hurt th-" Harry was saying before he was cut off by one of the two little girls he was trying to protect.

"What, without getting a hit on us first!? I've heard of you, Potter! Coming to other people at school, pretending to be nice while you then go and get them in trouble."

"Wait! It's not like that!" Harry said, as he started towards them.

"Stay away from us!" And with that, the two girls grabbed their money and ran.

"That wasn't smart Potter." Dudley said, as he went to grab Harry. Harry dodged Dudley's fat hand and was just about to run away, when a flash of fire flared between the two boys.

"What the hell!?" Said one of the boys.

"Let's get out of here"

"More of your freakishness again? Wait until I tell mum and dad!" Dudley said, as he too ran from the fire.

Harry was rooted to the spot, feeling both scared and something else, something familiar yet not.

As the fire vanished a short creature with pointy ears and sharp teeth came into view, carrying a golden red bird that was almost half his size.

"Greetings, Mr. Potter." The goblin smiled, showing an alarming number of pointed teeth.

**AN/Please R&R to make this ****legendary story even greater!**


	2. Of Goblins and Love

Ch 2

As the fire vanished a short creature with pointy ears and sharp teeth came into view, carrying a golden red bird that was almost half his size.

"Greetings, Mr. Potter." The goblin smiled, showing an alarming number of pointed teeth.

Harry was speechless.

"My name is Griphook, and I am from Gringotts. Here for your seventh yearly account review."

"Um, sorry? What are you? Are you a goblin?" Harry said nervously.

With a narrow look, Griphook said "I am Sir. Now I will not be talked down to, so if you could kindly take Ruby's tail, we can be off to address your accounts you have with Gringotts."

"Um, I think I'm still missing something. What's Gringotts?"

"What's Gringotts? Why it's the largest wizarding bank in the world. Now again Sir, please take Ruby's tail so we can discuss your accounts, for I have many other clients to go and check in with."

"Wizarding bank? What, you mean like magic and stuff?"

The goblin looked puzzled for a moment and then took out a silver pocket watch. After looking at its odd markings and symbols, he looked with puzzling eyes into puzzled eyes. "Harry Potter?"

"Yes?"

"Please forgive me sir, but you do know that you're a wizard, right?"

"What are you talking about?"

Griphook's eyes widened, then he quickly whispered to the bird, Ruby, and she vanished in a flame. "If you could please be patient Mr. Potter, I will take care of things."

Within twenty minuets, Ruby returned. "Now Mr. Potter, I would like you to come with me. You have nothing to fear, I will take you to Gringotts, were you will be cared for and under our protection during your visit."

Never having anyone want to look out for him before, Harry barely hesitated and took hold of Ruby's tail and vanished.

Vanishing with the bird was the most wonderful experience Harry ever had. He was surrounded by warmth and a peaceful song that made him wonder if love felt like this. In the next instant, Harry found himself in a room with white marble walls and a roaring fire. A rather old and large goblin sat behind a large red wood desk with his hands laced together as he rested his chin on them.

"Mr. Potter I presume?" the old goblin said, with an air of command.

"Y-yes sir." Harry mumbled. As wonderful as these events were, Harry was still a seven year old boy.

"My name is Harcle E'palbrui, and I am overseer of the Potter accounts, here at Gringotts." Harry nodded while he felt small in front of such a powerful and freighting person. "Here at Gringotts, we pride ourselves with our work. After receiving an alarming report from Griphook, I had him take you straight to me. From his report, I gather that you have been kept in the dark of whom and what you are, is this correct?"

"Um, I'm not really sure what's going on. Griphook said something about me being a wizard. I have no idea what's going on."

Harcle let out a long sigh. "Griphook, go and fetch us some lunch, this may take a while." Griphook gave a quick salute, then strolled out of the room.

"Alright Mr. Potter, why don't you have a seat." Harry sat down in the leather arm chair in front of Harcle's desk. "Well, first things first. Mr. Potter, you are a wizard, and a famous one at that."

"What? But I can't be a wizard. I can't cast spells or pull rabbits out of a hat or anything. I-I-"

"Please Mr. Potter, believe me. You are a wizard. How can you explain all of your unexplainable happenings while growing up at your aunt and uncle's house?"

"Well I can't do magic," At this, Harry waved his hands in the air, "see? Nothing happened."

The goblin behind the desk smiled at the boys antics. He then took out a similar watch like the one Griphook had, and placed it on the table. "When you turn eleven, you will be attending Hogwarts School for witchcraft and wizardry. This lad," he said as he pushed the watch toward Harry," is a magic detector we use here at Gringotts to identify and verify magical signatures." As Harry picked up the device, it started to warm and hum. "As you can see Harry, it detects your magical power."

Harry gazed at the beautifully-odd watch before realization hit him, "So I'm a wizard. Is that why I was called a freak?"

Harcle gave a momentary slight frown, and then said, "Yes that is why. You see Harry, here at Gringotts we like to ensure that our top clients are taken care of and quickly. As you had seen, my assistant Griphook used a phoenix, a powerful magical fire bird, to take you here to my office. After receiving the report from him, I immediately sent out our investigators to your family. There, they "gently" reviewed their memories and views that concerned you." The goblin gave a grin that showed most of his teeth. The goblin then had a serious look on his face.

"After we had reviewed your "family's" memories, we learned of the many horrible things that they have done to you. We also have learned that the reason why you were taken there after your parents died was for an old magic blood spell that would protect you from Voldermolt."

"Who's that?"

"He was, or still is, a dangerous dark wizard who had the malice to rid the world of muggles and who came from or supported them."

After seeing the puzzled look on Harry's face he added, "A muggle is someone who isn't a witch or wizard. There are some magic folk who come from a muggle heritage called muggleborns, as there are individuals who come from wizard kind who can't do magic, called squibs. Those who come from both are called half bloods, while those that come from only wizard kind are called purebloods.

As Harry soaked this new information in, he asked, "Does it matter where you come from when doing magic? I mean can a pureblood do more magic tricks than a moogleborns?"

"You mean muggleborns, and no. Though doing magic does require knowledge of doing spells, a person's power can be just as great as the next. No matter what heritage they come from, if they have a strong enough will they can do all the magic they want."

"Why would I need protection from this Volder-re, dark wizard guy?"

Harcle ran a hand across his bald head, and then said, "Your parents were good people who stood against Voldermolt or what others called him, the Dark Lord. Well one night on Halloween, about when you were one, Voldermolt came to your family's house and killed your parents with an evil spell. For some reason, Voldermolt wanted to also kill you, probably just to finish his work against your powerful parents. Just before his killing curse came upon you, your mothers blood, which had sprayed across you as she tried to shield you from him, reflected his spell back on to himself, tearing his soul from his body and only leaving you with that lighting bolt shaped scar on your forehead."

Harry fingered that hideous scar that scared most of the kids away whenever he tried to make a friend. "So this…Volder-molt…killed my parents because they were good guys? I was always told that they were drunks and died in a car crash."

Harcle's frown returned for a moment before it saddened into pity for the seven year old.

"As I have said, they were killed. With you needing a new home and someone with the same blood as your mother for the spell to continue working, you were placed in the care of your aunt and uncle. Upon looking further into our investigations, we discovered that because the spell was made with love, it needed love to continue to work. Having received no love from your aunt, the spell was broken. The spell was also the main reason why they let you live with them in the first place."

A look of horror came over Harry. "Does this mean that I don't have a home any more?"

"Well of course not." Taking out a stake of papers from his desk, Harcle started reading, "This is your parent's will. Now you were supposed to go to your godfather, Sirius Black, if anything happened to them, but he betrayed your hiding location to the Dark Lord and is now in the wizarding prison, Azkaban. We are in the process now of erasing all muggles, including your relatives, memories of you so you can start a new, happy life here in the wizarding world."

Harry felt shocked that all of this was happening all at once. He soon snapped out of it and said, "Yes, this is what I want! I want to be happy and become a wizard!" Harry got up from the chair and jumped up and down. Harkle raised a hand to calm the small boy down. "Continuing to read from their will, your parents decided that if your godfather was unexposed, then you should be cared for by a Gringotts family. Your mother was one of our top charms experts here at Gringotts, and she was a kind heart to all, so we will honor her wishes and take good care of you."

Again Harry started to jump up and down, finally going to be loved by someone.

"As head overseer of the Potter accounts, it is my duty to watch over you until you reach the age of seventeen." Just after he finished talking, he was engulfed by two tiny arms trying to find their way around him. He was off balanced for a moment, for it was not every day that the hard faced goblin was hugged by a human, but then relaxed his arms around the boy.

A knock on the door was heard and opened to a golden cart with grilled cheese sandwiches and steamy tomato soup for Harry and a steak meal for his Master. Griphook pushed the cart beside the desk and then once again saluted Harcle before leaving. Just before closing the door, he did a double take on the loving display that his hard faced, tuff as nails master was giving the small boy in the room. He left with a hidden grin on face.


	3. Of Clothes and Knights

**Disclamer: I do not own any of the HP stories or any other stories that may tie in with this one.**

"Now Harry if you would just sign your name here, the guardianship papers will be complete." Harcle said, as he sat next to Harry later that night.

"Does this mean I'm going to get your last name or something? Because I have a hard time saying it."

Harcle smiled at Harry's keen observation, "No, you won't. Because of wizarding laws, no magical creatures, such as I, can clam you as a son." Harry drooped at little from hearing this, "But that doesn't mean that I can't watch over you and help you grow."

Harry straightened up and said, "So where are we going to live?"

"We are going to live here at Gringotts, where I have my own personal housing down in the tunnels."

_Meanwhile, at Hogwarts_

_Dear Headmaster Dumbledore,_

_Being the Informative of the Potters will, you may wish to know that young Master Harry Potter has been removed from his relative's house to Gringotts to live until he becomes of age when he turns seventeen. The reason why he was moved was the response we took to insure his safety, as the blood wards he received from one Petunia Dursley, have been broken. Such blood wards that were placed, needed love to continue working. Simply put, young Master Harry Potter did not receive love, so the blood wards became broken. Safety measures have already been carried out for young Master Potter to begin a new life here in the wizarding world. All muggles that have had any knowledge of Master Potter's existence have been erased. As received wish from Mistress Lily Potter and Master James Potter, young Master Harry Potter will be brought up to be raised in the arts of healing and other useful skills that will aid him in life. Upon his return to the magical world, young Master Harry Potter was given the title of Head and Lord Potter, thus enabling him to some rights that he would normally would have been given when he would have come of age. I thank you for your time Headmaster._

_Harcle E'palbrui_

_Head of the Potter Accounts _

_&_

_Second Chief of Staff of Gringotts_

Headmaster Dumbledore set the letter down at his desk, while he popped a lemon drop candy into his mouth. He started to rub his eyes as he said, "Oh how could I have made such a mistake on that poor boy." Fawkes, his familiar phoenix, sang a quiet song to calm his master's tears.

"Wow! So you say that's how we will always go in order to just get inside of our house?" Harry said, as he stepped out of the roller costar type mine cart.

"Yes, but it gets boring after you do it for a while," replied Harcle, as he too stepped out of the cart. "Now Harry, remember what I told you about getting up early in the morning for your tour of Diagon ally, so you should be getting ready for bed after I show you your room."

"Alrighty! But I don't have any other clothes to sleep in, or wear, except these huge ones I got from my cousin that I have on right now. "

"No need to worry. I had some basic robes made for you for tomorrow until you get a new wardrobe in earlier today."

"Robes? Why not just a pair of jeans and a shirt or something?"

"Robes are a wizard's attire. Though wizards do wear a dress shirt and a pair of jumpers under their robes, a robe is proper attire in public."

"Oh, ok."

The pair made their way into a small section of the undergrounds wall that opened to a cozy living quarters. The quarters could best be described as layered, as the rooms themselves seemed to be made to form with the stone that was, instead of having them be carved into the walls to make the room fit. All the surfaces were highly smoothed and polished, which gleamed from the roaring fire in the center of the massive room. There were steps that led to two higher levels, which could be seen from the bottom entrance level. Bronze, silver, gold, and violet were the colors of choice, and it suited the rocky walls well.

"The bottom floor is our living area, the third floor is where the dinning area and kitchen are at, and the seconded floor is where our living quarters are. Yours is to the left, mine is to the right, and there is a spare room in the center. Each room has its own wash room, supplied with everything that you may need." He paused for a moment before adding, "I know that when you lived with those muggles," he gave a slight frown for a moment," that they had you living in a cupboard. This will never happen again, for as long as you stay here. Your room is your own, as your mother helped me create it in case you were place here, and are free to go and stay at your leave or change it how you see fit."

Harry felt deeply touched. His own mother loved him so much, that she made such arrangements for his comfort. He was then shown to his room, and with a "good night" to Harcle, he looked at his room. For now it was a plan room with a rather large bed, a polished wooden desk, and a door leading to the wash room. He saw the simple robe that was laid out for him for the morning and decided to wear his clothes he had on to sleep in. He went to the washroom to relieve himself, and when he was done he realized that when he stood up, he was clean. And he felt clean, way cleaner than any soft brand of toilet paper could ever do. After smiling stupidly to himself he found a toothbrush by the sink and brushed his teeth. He then stretched and went to bed, excited for the coming day.

"Though I am glad that you like my cooking, I think I'll have to place a new food order for my supplies." Harcle chuckled, as he sat down next to Harry, who was wolfing down a large order of pancakes, with a plate of eggs for himself.

Just before Harcle was going to wonder if Harry's mouth was some kind of portal to some empty unknown universe, Harry set his fork down and sighed, "Mmmnm that was good! I don't think I ever ate that much before!"

Again Harcle frowned for a moment, thinking of how horrible Harry's "family" had been to him. "Harry, if you are ready to go we should head out." Harry nodded, then they were off.

After a wild roller coaster ride, the two fund themselves at Gringotts front lobby. When leaving through the bank doors, Harry noticed a poem engraved on the entrance of the bank, reading:

_Enter, stranger, but take heed  
Of what awaits the sin of greed,  
For those who take, but do not earn,  
Must pay most dearly in their turn,  
So if you seek beneath our floors  
A treasure that was never yours,  
Thief, you have been warned, beware  
Of finding more than treasure there. _

Harcle smiled at Harry when he finished reading, "Nice poem huh? Your mother was quite the poetic." And before Harry could say anything, he was distracted with the sight of magic.

Diagon Ally was truly mesmerizing to Harry. Full of sights, smells, and sounds, Harry was able to see that magic wasn't just a bunch of clever tricks, but alive. Harcle knew that he would lose count of the many times he would look over his shoulder to find Harry wondering off to just gaze at the common, everyday magic throughout the market.

After a few hours of exploring, Harry felt that he knew his way around Diagon Ally fairly well. Now that Harry had an idea where things were, Harcle took Harry to a shop called _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions_. Here Harry was measured for a whole new wardrobe of clothes. He got several robes for any kind of activity he would come across, such as relation, dress, semi formal, formal, gardening, hot days, cold days, traveling, everyday, cooking, exercising, play, work, and several others that he loss count of in the huge rack of robes. Along with his robes he got undergarments, such as socks and underwear, several pants and shirts that would go with his robes, work clothes for exercising and doing dirty work like painting, and bed wear. Harry was always given whatever Dudley grew out of or ruined, so his jaw dropped when he was told to help look for several matching shoes for his clothes. As he learned, wizards always wore tight boots with their clothes, so for his every day set he pick out a stylish pair of a black leather boots, but then he was told that it wasn't leather, it was dragon hide boots. This made the boots all the more desirable for him. As Harry was having so much fun picking out clothes a thought came to him, he didn't have any money. The stupidity and guilt Harry felt that he had to tell the women who were so kind enough to help him pick out clothes ad help him make a style for himself was boundless. Harry shyly told his worries to Harcle, but the goblin just gave him a smile, "As Lord Potter, you are the wealthiest wizard in the world. In fact, the Potters helped build Gringotts which was about a hundred years after Hogwarts was founded, which means that you own some of it and as long as wizards continue to use Gringotts as their bank, you will never have to worry about any of your money expenses.

This new information left Harry numb. After all those years as a kid of never having money to get ice cream with or some to pay for the many field trips his classmates went on, he was now beyond wealthy of his wildest dreams.

After four long hours of trying on clothes, Harcle lead Harry, or try to as Harry every now and then would get sidetracked at some flashy sight of magic, to a store called Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382BC .

"Ah, Mr. Potter!" a thin, pale man with even thinner and paler hair spilling around his head and hanging over his circle-shaped glasses stood behind the desk Harry was next to said, "I wasn't expecting you to come walking into my humble shop until about four more years." Ollivander then spotted Harcle at Harry's side, "Hmm, I see. So the wards were broken," at this, Harcle slightly tilted his head with a blank face and blinked a sad yes, "Pity. Having such scum, give such a wonderful boy a dark look on muggles." Ollivander stared off into the distance for a while, then snapped back his attention to Harry, who jumped in surprise.

"Now Mr. Potter, or should I say Lord Potter?, wands are such magnificent devices. I use different magical cores to fill different woods to make these wonderful collections, and I loved every design I ever made. For you see, I remember every wand I have ever sold, and not one was the same, just as any unicorn or dragon core is the same. Now I know normally you would have to be at the age of seventeen to practice magic, but with your Lord title, I know that this doesn't concern you. So enough with my babblings, lets match you with a wand!" He took out a tape measure, which started measuring any kind of measure on Harry, by itself. After about ten minuets of measuring, it floated away and landed on a nearby table, just as Ollivander came around to Harry with an arm load of boxes. He handed a wand to Harry, and said, "Well, give it a swish, lad." Harry waved the wand gingerly, and blinked as the accrued pile of boxes went flying off the desk. The man quickly took the stick from the boy, and muttering under his breath, disappeared into the aisles of shelves. He quickly returned with another boxed wand, and handed it to Harry, with about the same result as the last.

After of three hours of waving wands, none of which Ollivander seemed to think that suited Harry, he took one of the last of the few wands off of the many shelves and pondered, "I wonder…" He then gave Harry the 11 inch wand to try. This wand felt different than the others, and Harry gave a flick. A bright flame of fire shot out the wand, but then died as the wood of the wand became black and sizzled. The three people in the store looked at each other, puzzled with what happened.

"Hmm….guess that wasn't your match." Harcle said.

'Maybe in another life perhaps' Ollivander pondered.

While searching for another wand on the shelves, Ollivander tripped on one of the wand boxes on the ground and fell face first on the ground. Having his eyes level with the ground, he saw a dusty box underneath a shelf that held the wands. He reached for it and came back to Harry.

"Oww, that's some bump you have there sir." Harry said as Ollivander sat next to him.

"I'll be alright. You might as well try this forgotten one for all the trouble it had me go through to find it."

Harry pulled the 11 and half inch stick out of its old and dirty box and held it in his hands. Instantly, he felt a pull to this wand, as if his own veins traveled through it. He gave a slight flick and a light blue light formed around Ollivander's head. In an instant later, it vanished and so did the bump from his fall.

"Extraordinary! I never thought that wand would ever be paired up with anyone, let alone a seven year old boy!"

"Um, I'm sorry sir but what's so special about this wand?" Harry said, curious that his wand was something "extraordinary".

"My boy, this wand was made during the Great Crusades, when wizards summoned creatures so unimaginable, they were forever banished to the gap between their world and ours. This wand core has the heart strings of a summoned noble dark knight, know as Odin. Though a dark knight, his noble actions were the reason why the treacherous Dark Lord of that time fell. The wood that forms the wand is Holly. My, my, yes Lord Potter. With this wand I have no don't in my mind that we can expect very honorable things from you."

With wand now in hand, Harry Potter was marked as a true wizard!


	4. Of Chess and Humming

**Disclamer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**AN: Thanks every one for all of the love and support! As a reader of fanfictions myself, I know how crazy you can when wait for a story to update, so I'll do my best to always have at least two a week. Love it or down right think that my story is a waste of memory on my computer, give me your reviews. Questions and ideas would be helpful if you can think of anything. So again thank you everyone! **

"Focus Harry. You can beat me." Harcle said, as he sipped on a steamy drink.

"But their not listening to me! They just keep giving me confusing advice on where to move!" Harry said as he moved his knight out of the way of Harcle's deadly queen.

"Well then, they must know something you don't." And with that, he moved his queen just past where Harry's knight blocked, "Check mate."

Harry frowned as his king tipped over. "Arrhhh! How come they didn't tell me that would happen?"

"They tried to, but you were so focused on saving your knight, that you left your king unprotected." Harcle took another sip of his drink and said, "Though the chess pieces give advice on where to go, you are the one who makes the decision on where they move." He set his cup down then rested his head on his laced hands. "But tell me; was your knight so important to you that you would allow my queen access to the one the he was trying to protect?"

Harry's temper slightly settled at Harcle's words. "Well no, but I didn't see that coming."

"And there lies the problem. All the pieces in the board, even the queen, are to do what they can to ensure the safety of the king. You need to learn that every move and decision you take, affects the people around you. In this case, your king."

"So what should I have done? Have my knight be captured?"

"If it would have saved your king. Always remember that, that knight's sacrifice would have been for the noble cause of saving the king. Alright, I think we have played around to much today. Let's go to work."

Harry nodded and the two left their dwelling for an office on the top level of the bank. For the past two years, Harcle would take Harry to work with him, teaching Harry all about the world of money and how one should spend it. Harcle, like most goblins, would stress the importance of keeping secret one's gold, as to not allow thief's to want to target you and to not rub his wealth in those with less then you. Harry learned that even though he basically had a limitless amount of Gallons, he should humble himself to a budget.

Humility, which was one word that Harcle laid heavily on Harry, gave Harry the molding to help shape himself into a well liked and caring individual among the goblins and other workers at Gringotts. One day, as Harry was cleaning some of the mine carts, Harcle approached him with the offer of using his wand to learn some magic. After first receiving his wand, Harcle only allowed Harry to use it when doing small things, such as opening the brick entrance to Diagon Ally from the Leaky Cauldron or making the carts move at the bank. Just looking for an excuse to use magic, Harry quickly agreed.

"Try again Harry, the wound is deeper than the shallower cuts before." The magic that Harcle wanted Harry to learn was basic healing. In order for one to learn the healing arts, someone else had to be wounded. Harcle took it upon himself to have the required wounds.

"_Emleahmu!" _Harry said, as he glided his wand across Harcle's wound. With a hot hiss, the wound started to heal.

"Exilent Harry." Harcle praised, as he traced his finger across his arm, where he imbedded his knife. "Now how about the dry blood?"

Harry again pointed his wand at Harcle's arm and said, "_Tergeo!" _In a light blue flash, Harcle's arm was clear of any sign that ever had a three inch wound.

Harry was panting in exhaustion as Harcle handed him a flask. "Drink this; it's a pepper up potion." For not the first time in those two years, Harry's face was puzzled. "It's a potion that gives you a boost of quick energy to get where you need, then runs out, making you feel your exhaustion again." As Harry took a drink from the flask, Harcle continued, "That was a good lesson Harry."

"What do you mean? I've only done a few spells."

"You're still young, and your magic won't fully start to develop until you reach puberty. Also, healing magic is also known as sacrifice magic. You are taking not only part of your magic, but also some of your life energy to heal something that is depleted of it own."

"Could I die if I continue to heal others?"

"No, just like exercising you can only keep a pace for so long until you get tired, but with rest you will regain your stamina with a stronger "muscle" for that magic."

Harry closed his eyes and rested his head on the back of his chair. "Why am I learning how to heal instead of how to fight?"

"Because the power to help others is by far stronger than having the power to hurt them. In a couple of years you may see the small differences between your power and others your own age. Offensive magic only works with your magic core, so only your magic core becomes stronger, while when doing supportive magic, your magic core and life energy are being worked. The magic you use is produced from the power of your core and life energy, so have the two become stronger will eventually increase your power in your magic.

Harry was only able to nod, as he started to fall asleep in his spot. Harcle smiled at the young boy's progress today as he held up his arm, not a new scratch on it.

"_Episkey"_

"Thanks Harry! Nose feels as good as new!" The goblin said, as he went back into the tunnels of the bank. For the next few months, Harcle had injured workers report to Harry for healing, weather it was a stubbed toe or a broken arm. Harcle also had Harry helping out with the manual labor the Gringotts employees had to do with all of the transportation of gold in the tunnels. Though only nine years old, Harry was starting to get into a lean physic, perfect for doing all of the running of messages the goblins had during the work day. The goblins hated having owls in the tunnels, as their droppings would make Gringotts appearance look like a common, dirty mineshaft, and the phoenixes they owned were too valuable to be common messengers for the workers. Harry had no complaints, as he was now allowed to keep his wand with him, so long as he only did healing magic, and getting from place to place in the bank required a ride on the roller coaster type carts.

Yes, Harcle kept Harry a busy boy, and when he did have nothing to do, he would be taught history, wizard and goblin a like. Harcle would tell Harry that he would be learning history at Hogwarts, but also told him that most of it was one sided.

"Well wouldn't your version of the history be the same, just the other side?" Harry said, as he was sitting through a particularly lecture on a 50 year war between wizards and goblins.

"That's a good question, but what is usually overlooked by wizards, is those goblins take honors vary seriously, and to lie of something as significant as a war, would be a large dishonor. Now in with the end of the war. Both the wizards and goblins were tired of fighting, and the goblins were only fighting to stop the wizards from doing a terrible mistake at the time so they shifted their attention onto themselves to protect the wizards. Though the goblins suffered, even to this day, many rights, the wizards were protected from their bad decisions of that time."

"Why did the goblins sacrifice their freedoms to save an ungrateful race? Why get involved at all?"

Harcle's nose twitched at this, as this was what he was waiting for, "Because it was the right thing to do. In order to be a true hero, you have to do what is hard then what is easy. The goblin's did know that wizards had the capacity to do good, which was shown often to us by your mother, and decide to protect them. Today, goblins still watch over the wizards, if only it is their gold and other kept secrets."

Harry spent the rest of his time like this, working, learning, and becoming more efferent in healing, up until his tenth birthday.

Working hard one morning on a stubborn boot stain on a cart, Harry was started by a flash of flame above his head. As the fire vanished, a magnificent golden red phoenix landed on Harry's shoulder.

"Hey beautiful, where did you come from?"

The phoenix gave a cheerful chirp, and nuzzled Harry's neck.

"You want to take me somewhere?" Harry asked hopefully, as his last ride with a phoenix, Ruby, was a wonderful one.

The fire bird turned around on his shoulder for Harry to get a better reach for its tail feathers and he took hold. In a wonderful flash of flame, Harry was taken to his room. When he looked around the room, he saw Harcle stand up with a long package in his hands. "Happy Birthday Harry, "he said, as he handed Harry his gift. Harry ripped open the package, shyly mumbling that he had forgotten that his birthday was today, and found that it was a golden perch. After a moment of thinking, Harry looked at the mighty bird on his shoulder and hugged it. He then had the bird scooped into his arms and rushed over to Harcle, who got tackled in Harry's excitement.

"So like the gift?" Harcle said, as he smiled at Harry while he got up.

"Like it? I love it! It'll be perfect for…for…am I supposed to give her a name?"

"_I already have a name Lord Potter."_

Harry jumped and looked up at his new familiar, "You can talk?"

"_No I can't talk, but I can mentally communicate with whomever I wish and they me if I let them."_ The phoenix said in a bubbly voice.

"Alright. Well, what's your name?"

"_My name is Rain."_

"Rain? Isn't that a little ironic? You being a fire bird and all."

"_I know it is, but I was always told that rain was a blessing, and my healing powers have proven that among warriors in past wars."_

"Well I think it's a beautiful name, just like you."

If the bird wasn't already of redcolor, she would have been after that compliment. "_You are too kind Master. I mean look at the mess my lower wing feathers are in. And I haven't been reborn in a while, and-"_

"Well I think your beautiful, and would be a wonderful companion by my side."

The bird hid her face under a wing and then cooed Harry's neck once more.

"I'll leave you two alone to get to know each other better." Harcle said, as he left Harry's room to return to his office for more dreaded paperwork.

Later that week, Harcle caught Harry humming a tune while polishing a brass scale. "Harry, what's that your humming"

"What? Oh just this calming song Rain always gets me up with every morning. Why?"

Oh I was just thinking of how my desisted wife use to love dancing to the phoenix's song. Hey there's a thought, why don't we have you take some dancing lessons?"

"Dancing lessons? Why would I need those? I think my dancing is just fine." And with that the two heard Rain's laughter in their heads "Hey, I'm not that bad!" Harry said out loud, making two goblin tellers look at him.

"Um pardon me sirs, but I think I could help." Came a young mans voice behind them. The man had red fiery hair, and freckles thought his face. "You know how to dance….uh Weasley is it?" Harcle said, after gazing at his name tag.

"Yes sir, Bill Weasley, and no, but my mum does. She was looking for a part time job anyway, and I thought she could help you."

Harcle gave Harry a glance, who just shrugged his shoulders, and said, "Alright Mr. Weasley, why don't we give it a try, say next Friday at six. In fact, why don't you two come and meets us at the Green Meadows Pub across from Madam Malkin's?"

"Sounds excellent sir, I'll be sure to let her know."


	5. Of Dancing and New Friends

"Now tell me their names again dear." Mrs. Weasley said, feeling a little anxiety as her and Bill approached the pub.

"It's Harcle and Harry, mum. And don't worry, Harcle is as best a goblin you could ask for and I hear Harry is great kid."

The two entered the pub and then were waved down by Harcle. As they approached, both Harry and Harcle stood up for Mrs. Weasley, causing Mrs. Weasley's heart to melt at the adorable manners the ten year old showed. "Well good evening gentlemen. I'm Molly Weasley."

"It's a pleasure Mrs. Weasley," Harcle said in his deep voice.

"Yes, it's wonderful to meet you," Harry said, as he started to seat himself along with the others. They ordered their meals and had small talk about their lives.

After Harcle was done telling a story about when in his younger days, he went on a mythril mine excavation for Gringotts, Molly started to tell them about her family, "Well I have another older boy just out of Hogwarts, three there now, and a boy and girl around your age, who will be starting in a year and two."

"Oh, you should bring them next time we meet for the lessons." Harcle said, as he then took his last bite of lamb. "I'm sure Harry would love to have someone his own age around then the old goblins that normally hang around the place." He chuckled, as Harry shrugged.

"Oh that would be lovely. I'll run it by them. So when would you like to start taking the dancing lessons?" She asked, as she eyed the two.

Harcle thought for a moment and said, "Well why not every other day at noon, starting tomorrow?"

"I could work around that. What do you think Harry?"

Harry, who had been mostly quiet during the meal, nodded and said that he was fine with it.

As the evening grew late, the two parties separated. When Harry and Harcle were just getting up from the mine cart, Harry stopped and said, "Harcle, why are you having me take dancing lessons? I mean what's so important on how to know how to dance?"

Harcle turned around and said, "Dancing requires precise movements, and what most expert wizard dualist know, is that when in a dual, the two combaters are not just standing there throwing spells at each other. In a dual, you not only need to throw spells at your opponent, but to move around and use your surroundings to your advantage. Also, after you learn to dance after while, I want you to learn some hand to hand fighting and how to wield a sword during the days you don't have dance practice."

At this, Harry's eyes had grown large, "Really!? I mean, wow! I can't wait!"

Harcle smiled at Harry's enthusiasm, "Ok, let's get some rest. You have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Good work today, Harry. Well, I feel satisfied that you are pretty light on your feet." Mrs. Weasley said, after the two had just gotten done doing a traditional ball room dance.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley." Knowing that it was his last class after the five month session, Harry added, "And thanks again for teaching me how to dance."

"You are most certainly welcome Harry. I just only wished Ron had shown this much enthusiasm to learn how, and I've already have taught Ginny how, but I guess she was just a little shy to show anyone her skills. Sorry you haven't been able to meet any of my children, besides Bill, because I think you would get along with them, especially with my four youngest. Oh well, I guess you'll meet them at Hogwarts next year."

"See where cockiness can get you?" Harcle said, after slashing his sword across Harry's chest. "If you were protecting someone right now, I could easily go after them, now that you are beaten. Now get out your wand out and heal yourself! We still have two hours before we have to go inspect the asp vault defensives for Mr. Flamel's stone."

"Tell me again why people would be so scared of me being able to talk to snakes? I mean it's not like I'm going to turn into some kind of powerful beast, though I can, someday, become a phoenix."

"Yes, but most people who hear your parseltongue before knowing that, will probably think your evil or something. And as for your phoenix form, remember that your magic is still growing, so don't go trying to transform at least until another few more years."

"I wouldn't care so much about what most people would think, just as long as I have some close friends that support me through my sufferings. But I understand what you're saying about keeping it to myself for as long as I can. So how long do we have to keep the stone here?"

"Just a few months, around when you get your Hogwarts letter."

Harry perked up at this, "Oh why can't it be now!? I can't wait to finally be able to use my wand!"

Harcle smiled at Harry's enthusiasm. He only had Harry learn supportive and healing magic, one of which was_ Stupefy_. Yes, even though the spell stunned someone, it was considered a medical spell, as it could knock someone out for something like a surgery. Though Harry's was weak, being only an almost 11 year old boy, Harry was still able to cast the spell to sting and numb the person.

Sure enough, a few months later, Griphook came into Harcle's office reporting that the Hogwarts Ground Keeper, Hagrid, came and collected the stone. He had also said that he had dropped off Harry's school letter.

Upon reading the letter, Harry could barely contain his excitement.

**Hogwarts School**

**Of**

**Witchcraft and Wizardry**

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, first class, Grand Sorc, Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term begins on September 1. We have already noted your wish to attend._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress _

After looking at the list of items that mostly had and needed to get, Harry said, "So when can I get my school supplies?"

"Well I have a few important meetings today and tomorrow morning, since tomorrow is the start of when families come to get their gold for their children's school supplies. So how about we go after tomorrows meeting?"

"Yeah, sounds great! Oh I'm so excited!"

The next morning found Harry up bright and early. Besides for some early morning customers and of course the goblins, the bank lobby was pretty much empty. Being to excited to just wait around for Harcle, Harry kept himself busy by cleaning the front desks tables and scales. Harry was just going to finish wiping down the last counter when three people made their way to the counter.

"Excuse me son, is there someone around who could help us? We're muggles." A deep man's voice asked.

Harry looked up to two adults and a little girl with crazy, bushy hair. "I can help you?" Harry looked more closely at the little girl and piped up, "Oh, you Hogwarts too? Getting ready to do some school shopping?"

The little girl seemed timid, like it was uncommon for someone to talk to her nicely. "Y-yeah. You t-too?"

The girl's father set his hand on her shoulder as Harry replied, "Yeah! I'm just waiting for my guardian to get done with a bank meeting, and then we'll be off. So, how much gallons would you like to exchange?"

The man looked at Harry and said, "We would like to get 500 gallons worth please. So, do you normally run the counter?"

Harry exchanged the man's muggle money for the gallons, "No, I usually run messages to the goblins, but because of the rush that will be coming for the school year the counter is a little short handed. My name's Harry Potter, what's your name?" Harry asked, as he turned back to the little girl.

"Hermione Granger."

"Oh, well that's a nice name. Say if you folks could wait a moment, I'll go tell my guardian that I couldn't wait for him and then I can show you around and where the best places to buy what you need, or anything else that you like."

"Oh my yes, that would be lovely." Mrs. Granger, or who Harry assumed was Hermione's mother, said.

"Ok, one sec." And with that, Harry left to tell his guardian. A few minuets later he returned, "Ok all set! He said that the meeting would take longer than he thought, so he said it was ok if I went with you."

The quartet left the bank and first went to Ollivander's to get Hermione her wand. Upon exiting the store, Hermione held an 11 inch, dragon heart-string, maple wand. The group then went on to the book store, _Flourish and Blotts. _They had barely stepped foot in the store before the two eleven year olds went off to gather books. Harry was most keen to get a book he saw in the window one time, and that was _Hogwarts: A History. _As he had reached for the book, his hand landed on another's, Hermione's.

"Opps, sorry," Harry said, as he retreated his hand.

Hermione looked a little pink and said, "It's ok. You getting that book also? "Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea to know something about the place we're going to be living at."

"Yeah, I know." The two parted once more, until Harry heard Hermione call out his name, "Harry! You're in this book! Take a look!"

As she shoved the book under his nose, Harry began shaking his head, "This book is worthless."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean that I have never been given an interview before, so how could these people know anything about me?"

"Oh, ok. I guess your right, how stupid of me." She set the book down and looked down.

"You're not stupid Hermione, just new. Tell you what, if you have any questions about anything, I'll do my best to answer them. Ok?"

She looked up smiling, "Ok."

The two finished picking out their school and extra reading books, then left the store. After getting most of their things, they had one more place left to go, _Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasion. _Harry had grown out of his clothes he had gotten four years ago, so he needed to get new clothes and also Harcle suggested he get a wand holster, as most proper wizards had them. Hermione's parents said that they'd go look around while they got their school robes.

While getting measured in the boy's section by a magical tape measure, Harry was placed by another boy his age, who had slick blond hair with a pale face and a superior air around him.

"Hogwarts too?" the boy asked.

"Yeah." Harry replied.

"You of pure breed?"

At this, Harry had remembered what Harcle had said about some wizards looking down on others, just because they were a little different, like muggleborns. Harry also remembered being bullied and left out when he was younger, just because he was different. "Well, my parents weren't cousins, if that's what you mean. Or did you perhaps mean that both my parents were magical? Anyway yes, I am a pureblooded wizard." A couple of years ago, Harcle told Harry that his mother's blood line, the Evans, were wizards turned squibs when they sacrificed their powers to save their village.

The blond boy sneered, "Well good, father says that the muggle scum shouldn't even be allowed to go to Hogwarts, let alone know about it. So, know what house you'll be in? Father says the best house is Slytherin, how about you?"

Harry did often wonder what house suited him, and he also knew this cretin needed to be taught a lesson about life. "Are you sure? I mean with your strong loyalties to your father, I'd say you'd go to Hufflepuff, or with your boldness, I'd say you belong in Gryffindor, or seeing how smart you are, I could see you going into Ravenclaw. I myself see both positives and negatives in all the houses, so I don't really know what house I'll be in."

The pale boy raised his eyebrows at Harry's remark, "Well I guess we won't really know until we get there."

A sales woman came around and told the pale boy that he was done.

"Well I guess I will see you there."

"Oh yeah, looking forward to it." Harry muttered to himself sarcastically. Soon after, Harry was told that he was done and made his way to the front of the store. There he found the pale face boy and a crying Hermione.

"What'd I say? You are a piece of filth, being a muggleborn and all."

Harry felt an emotion he never experienced before, fury. "Get away from her, you twat!" Harry had pulled out his wand and pointed it the boy.

The boy looked at the wand, then at Harry, "Why would you, a pureblood, care about it?" 'He's talking like she's not even here! Or a person!' " I mean, it's a piece of garbage, not worth are acknowledgement. And put your wand away, you couldn't possibly know any spells. I mean, we're not even first years yet!"

"Because she's my friend!" With that, Harry flicked his wand and casted a numbing charm on the smug boy. His tongue went slack, as he tried to say, "Agmhngmnhh!! Waimt umil my fomther beers aboutmn this!" And then stormed out of the store, clothes forgotten.

"Did you really mean that?" Hermione said, snapping Harry out of his glare of the boy's wake.

"Huh? Of course, he did act like a twat."

"No, not that. About being my friend?" There was something in her eye that Harry knew all too well, the desperately of trying to make a friend.

"Oh, yeah I did. That is, if it's alright with you?", he mumbled.

She smiled brightly and said, "Yes! It's alright with me!"

They stood there for a moment, smiling at each other, until Madam Malkin had returned from somewhere and asked, "That will be ninety-five gallons for your three pairs of school uniforms with dragon etching, two pairs of dragon-hide boots, four dress shirts, three dragon skinned dress pants, and one wand holster young sir, and one hundred-and six for the three pairs of school uniforms, four pairs of dragon skinned boots, and two sundresses, for the young misses.

"Here's two fifty, keep the bronze." And then Harry lead Hermione out of the store, telling her how he never had a friend to spend money on before, and that it could be their secret.

After the two had found her parents, then got some lunch and planed on meeting each other again for the Hogwarts Express right after breakfast on September first.


	6. Of train rides and talking Hats

**Disclamer: I don't own the Harry Potter world, only Harcle and Rain.**

**A/N: Thank you all for the love and support! I've never been one with words, but I hope you an bare with me and enjoy my work and ideas! Got some fun stuff in this chapter, so anyway, Cheers!**

Soon after, Harry was told that he was done and made his way to the front of the store. There he found the pale face boy and a crying Hermione.

"What'd I say? You are a piece of filth, being a muggleborn and all."

Harry felt an emotion he never experienced before, fury. "Get away from her, you twat!" Harry had pulled out his wand and pointed it the boy.

The boy looked at the wand, then at Harry, "Why would you, a pureblood, care about it?" 'He's talking like she's not even here! Or a person!' " I mean, it's a piece of garbage, not worth are acknowledgement. And put your wand away, you couldn't possibly know any spells. I mean, we're not even first years yet!"

"Because she's my friend!" With that, Harry flicked his wand and casted a numbing charm on the smug boy. His tongue went slack, as he tried to say, "Agmhngmnhh!! Waimt umil my fomther beers aboutmn this!" And then stormed out of the store, clothes forgotten.

"Did you really mean that?" Hermione said, snapping Harry out of his glare of the boy's wake.

"Huh? Of course, he did act like a twat."

"No, not that. About being my friend?" There was something in her eye that Harry knew all too well, the desperately of trying to make a friend.

"Oh, yeah I did. That is, if it's alright with you?", he mumbled.

She smiled brightly and said, "Yes! It's alright with me!"

They stood there for a moment, smiling at each other, until Madam Malkin had returned from somewhere and asked, "That will be ninety-five gallons for your three pairs of school uniforms with dragon etching, two pairs of dragon-hide boots, four dress shirts, three dragon skinned dress pants, and one wand holster young sir, and one hundred-and six for the three pairs of school uniforms, four pairs of dragon skinned boots, and two sundresses, for the young misses.

"Here's two fifty, keep the bronze." And then Harry lead Hermione out of the store, telling her how he never had a friend to spend money on before, and that it could be their secret.

After the two had found her parents, then got some lunch and planed on meeting each other again for the Hogwarts Express right after breakfast on September first.

"_Are you ready, Master? Harcle said he had a lot of work to do today, so he wants to take you to the train early."_

'_Yeah, I'm almost ready. Just have to grab my rings.' _Harcle had given Harry two rings, one that showed his Lordship as Head of the Potter family and another that had Gryphindor's crest on it. He wore them on his middle fingers. _'Thanks again for telling Hermione that we had to leave early, she wasn't mad was she?'_

"_No, she wasn't mad. Said she'd meet you on the train, later."_

'_Are you going to be ok taking my belongings to Hogwarts? Because if not, I could just take them with me like the other students.'_

"_It's no trouble at all! Besides, it's been a while since I've taken so many things at once. It'll be a good workout!"_

'_Ok, if you say so.'_

Harry had gotten up at 5:00 that morning, excited about going to Hogwarts, he doubled checked his luggage. He had just finished breakfast, when Harcle told him that it was time to leave. Rain gave a soft chirp, telling them that she was ready to take them to the station.

At 5:55, Harry gave Harcle a hug goodbye, promising to write about his first week. Harcle grabbed hold of Rain's tail, and they vanished in a flame. As Harry looked around, he saw that there were only a few people at the platform already and just one or two coming through Platform nine and three quarters. The train itself looked like any other train Harry had seen before, so he shrugged his shoulders and got on.

As Harry had come early, he wasn't that surprised to find most of the compartments empty. He had chosen an empty compartment with a big window, hoping he would be able to get a good view when they arrived at Hogwarts. Time was slow, waiting for everyone to aboard so they could leave, as he had twice read all of his school books, only skimming the ones that he was taught by from Harcle like History of Magic, so Harry decided to take a nap. He tossed a blue blanket that was in an overhead storage, and fell asleep. What had felt like twenty minuets, in reality were a few hours, Harry was poked awake.

"Wah, huh?" After rubbing his eyes, he came face to face with a boy with red-fiery hair, freckles, and some dirt on the end of his nose, which Harry thought was the result of floo travel. "Uh, hi. Just wanted to know if anyone else was sitting here."

"Nah, no one's sitting there" Harry said, with a wave of his arm. He rubbed his eyes some more, then stretched.

The red head looked at him and said, "My name's Ron Weasley," and with that, he made for Harry to take his hand.

"Oh you're Ron? I met your mum! I'm Harry Potter." And Harry took his hand.

Ron's eyes got larger, "Woow, are you really? When my two older brothers, Fred and George, told me Harry Potter was the boy she was giving dancing lessons too I was a little suspicious, because they're always pulling pranks on me and stuff."

"Nope, guess they were telling the truth."

"Really? Why would you want to learn how to dance? That seems kind of girly."

Harry was going to reply with a remark, but was interrupted when he ran a hand through his hair, "Your scar! So you really do have it! Can I see!?"

"Why? What's so honorable about having something that needed the sacrifice of my parents?"

"Well, err, nothing, I just…never mind. So what's your favorite Quidditch team?"

'Man, this guy is really air headed.' "I don't have one, never cared much for the sport."

"WHAT!? How could you not care about Quidditch? It's the most awesome sport in the world, and-" He was then cut off by Harry, "Well what other sports do you know?"

"What?"

"I asked, what other sports do you know, besides Quidditch?"

"Well…there's that one the muggles try and guess what the weather's going to be like."

"That's the Weather Broadcast, it's not a sport. How about football or boxing? Or even a marathon run?"

"Well yeah, I don't know much about them, but they're muggle sports."

"So what? They're still about skill vs. skill."

"Yeah but-" The boy was once again cut off when the compartment door opened.

"Excuse me," came a voice of a rather bushy haired girl, "but did you two happen to see a toad around anywhere? My friend here," she nodded her head towards a sniffling boy behind her, "seems to have lost his."

Ron had a sneer on his face, when he then said, "No, we haven't seen a lame toad around. Now go away, my friend, Harry Potter, and I were just having an important discussion about Quidditch."

The girl's face lit up, "Harry!?"

"Hermione?"

"Eee!" she said, as rushed to hug him. Ron's face was perplexed that some random girl would just come up and hug him, 'Ah to be famous.'

"I've been looking everywhere for you! Where you in here the whole time?"

"Yeah, I got here early, so I took a nap. Must've had the blanket over my head. Sorry that I had you looking for me."

"It's ok. I'm helping my new friend Neville here, find his missing toad."

Harry smiled at Hermione's heart as he looked at the boy, "Can I help?"

"Sure, we've already looked all over in the compartment we were sitting and were heading around from there."

"Well I think I have a quicker way of finding him." _'Rain, think you could help me out?'_

"_It would be my pleasure, Master."_

Rain then flamed onto Harry's arm, causing Hermione, Ron, and Neville to rise to alarm, "Sorry guys. This is my familiar, her name's Rain. She's a phoenix."

"Oh she's beautiful." Hermione said, as she cooed at Rain's bright red feathers, who responded with a relaxing phoenix's song.

"Cool!" Both Neville and Ron said.

"Ok Rain, think you can find his toad?" The fire bird gave Harry a look, as if saying "Child's play", and flamed away. Not a few moments later, she returned with a bloated toad in her claws.

"Trevor! Hey, thanks everyone!" Neville said, as he shoved the toad into his pocket.

"No problem, we were happy to help" Harry said, not catching the smile he got from Hermione. Harry shook his hand and noticed that Neville had some calicos that normally formed when spending a lot of time in a garden. "I'd ask why even have a toad, because their out of style, but I guess that you like to garden and use him to protect your plants, right?"

"Uh, yeah. How'd you know?"

"I noticed your hands, and I too like to garden. In fact, I had a nice supply of Hellebore come in just this spring."

"What's that?" Ron asked, not wanting to be forgotten.

"Oh, it's an ingredient used in a potion called Draught of Peace, it's supposed to be like cat-nip for phoenixes." Hermione said, as she scratched Rain behind the neck.

"_I like her master."_

Harry smiled as Hermione sat down next to him.

"Hey this is our compartment!" Ron said, as Neville then stood back up.

"Well it was mine before you came in, and we have plenty of room. So it shouldn't be too crowded if I let just these guys in." Harry's patience was really starting to break with this guy, and he had once helped an odd, older witch exchange 100 gallons for muggle American pennies, something for a collection or other.

"Oh yeah, right." His ears went red and he calmed down, Rain's low song helping all the more.

"So Harry, what house do you think you'll be in?" Hermione said.

"Don't know, they all seem to have their strong points."

"My whole family has been in Gryffindor." Ron said, trying to get Harry to look at him again.

"How about you Neville? I read that the Professor who's head of Hufflepuff is also the teacher for Herbology."

Neville looked down, "I guess with my skills they would sort me into Hufflepuff."

"And what's wrong with Hufflepuff? I'd value any friend that went into that house. I could never turn down a friend who would stick with me until the very end. Most wizards today don't realize the power that comes from that kind of love."

"Oh-, " was all Hermione could say, along with the rest of the compartment.

Harry, nor anyone else, disturbed the silence. He just continued to sit there next to Hermione, stroking Rain's long neck. The trolley came and went, Harry buying everyone some kind of candy, as he just settled for an apple. As the train had started coming across long, sunny meadows, Harry rested his eyes once more and drifted off to sleep. Hermione looked around as she noticed what Rain had done. All three boys were asleep, and every time someone would walk by their compartment, they would get a dreamy look in their eyes and continue walking. Rain flew up on Hermione's shoulder and nudged her to rest her head on Harry's shoulder. Hermione blushed and shook her head, but Rain replied with, _"It'll keep you both warm." _And with that, Rain sang Hermione to sleep, with Hermione resting her head on Harry.

"_Master….Master…..time to wake up, we have arrived at the school." _Rain then flamed away to scout out the land, as Harry had earlier told her to when they got to the school.

Harry, who had came in his robes, saw that people were starting to exit the train, so he got up and followed behind Hermione, who seemed to pink when she noticed him behind her.

"Morning sleepy." She said with a soft giggle.

"How long was I out?"

"Not long, only a few hours. Feel refreshed?"

"Yep, can't wait to start doing magic!" Hermione continued to giggle.

They hadn't walked far when they heard a booming voice saying, "Firs' years! Firs' years over here!" The voice belonged to a giant of a man, and from descriptions Harcle gave Harry before, this man was Hagrid, the Hogwarts grounds keeper. Though he had a fuzzy beard, the rest of his body was as rugged as a mountain, and almost as big. The muscles that he carried the massive lantern with showed that his body screamed power, and yet his beetle-black eyes showed a kind heart.

When he had finally had all of the first year students together, he led them to a shoreline with a dozen or so small boats. "Four to a boat, and don't push. Careful now." Harry, and the three people that rode with him on the train, found an empty boat and sat down together.

"Al'ight, everyone secure? Good, let's go!" And they were off. The boats kept a steady speed, yet never tipped or splashed. After what seemed like forever of going through cave rock faces, the group went around a bend of rock which had hid the view of the castle, exhibiting a truly mystifying sight. They continued until they reached a harbor that appeared to be just under the castle. After climbing a small amount of stairs, the group stopped at the castle's gigantic door, where Hagrid knocked three times.

Not a moment later, a tall, black haired witch in emerald-green robes opened the door. Her face held a very stern look that told the soon to be first years, that she was not one to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.

"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

Hagrid pushed the doors open, and then went his separate way. Harry smiled when he saw the entrance hall, as the stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts. As the group continued, Professor led them to a small chamber, which they crowded into, and said, "Welcome to Hogwarts. The start-of-term banquet will being shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room."

She waved her hand towards a black flag that showed the crest of Hogwarts, which had all four house mascots on it. "The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule breaking will lose you house points. The house with the most points at the end of the year feast will be awarded the house cup, a great honor and be worth 10 percent extra-credit with that whole houses grades. I hope you all will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

After looking at the dirt that was still on Ron's nose, she said, "The sorting will be in front of the rest of the school, so I suggest you smarten yourselves up." Neville bumped Ron about his nose. "I shall return when we are ready for you." She left the chamber.

Ron had just finished wiping the dirt off his nose when he said, "Does anyone know how they short us into houses? My older brothers, Fred and George, told me we had to fight something and that it was painful, but I think they were just joking."

Beside Harry, Hermione trembled, 'She's probably thinking she needs to already know some fighting magic to save herself.' Though Harry himself was nervous, it was Hermione's tremble that gave him focus Harry leaned in and whispered, "Don't worry, I won't let any harm come to you." She visibly relaxed and stood a little closer to Harry. Harry loosened his wand on his wand holster under his sleeve, just as Professor McGonagall had returned, "Alright, please follow me. It is time to see what house you all belong in." The small group of eleven year olds were taken to the front of the large room. The room itself had four long tables, all with older students already sitting with their own houses, and a one large long table that had what looked to be the teachers of the school. Professor McGonagall stopped in front of a stool that had an old, worn-out hat on it. It came to life and sang a funny, little song then became still once more.

At the head table, in center, was an old wizard with a long silvery beard and half-moon glasses.

"Welcome students. I am Headmaster Dumbledore, and now is time to start a new year by sorting the new batch of first years! Oh what a scrumptious time of year." He got only a few smiles and a couple of coughs from his joke. McGonagall produced a list from her robes and told them that when she read off their name, they would try on the hat, the go to the house table they were sorted into. It took different amounts of time for each person to be sorted. Hermione was called and placed into Gryffindor, and after giving Harry a nervous glance, one he returned with a smile and nodded, she went to sit at the Gryffindor table.

When it was the blond boy that Harry and Hermione met at _Madam Malkin's _turnHarry then learned that his name was Draco Malfoy, he barely had the hat on his head when it cried out, "_SLYTHERIN!!" _and went to go sit at his respective table.

"Potter, Harry," McGonagall called, signaling that it was Harry's turn. As Harry walked towards the hat, he heard the whole room start to whisper.

"Harry Potter!" He heard one say.

"_The _Harry Potter!?" Came another.

Harry sat down on the stool, as Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head, which was too small for the hat, covering half of his face. Harry felt nothing, until something started to probe his mental shields. As for the many things Harcle had Harry study with his time at Gringotts, Occlumency was one of them. Harcle told Harry that his shields would get stronger with practice, but for the moment, Harry would know when someone was entering his mind, and right now was a moment.

'Do not fret, Harry Potter,' he heard in his head, 'I am only going to sort you into the house you belong in, as I was commanded by your great ancestor, Professor Gryffindor.'

Harry relaxed a little, 'So, what house do I belong in, Sir?' he thought.

'Ah and such pleasant manners, not many students have that anymore. Well anyway, on to where to put you!' Harry felt the hat's presents go through his memories and soul, observing all of Harry's fears, dreams, and needs. 'Hmm quite a hard one, aren't you lad? I can see what happened to you in your past, quite sad, yes, you where treated poorly and were alone. Though Gryffindor blood runs strong through your veins, you carry many qualities that Slytherin had, like his rare gift. Hmm, but to place you into those houses….hmmm. I can see you have a brain, good Ravenclaw material, but your heart seeks more than just knowledge, as it also needs your brains wisdom to help guide you…yes, interesting.' The hat seemed to go on with its babblings, placing him as a strong hopeful for one house, and then selecting another he was just as strong in. 'Ah yes, I know! This will give most a loop, but we know that you are better than what they will at first think. As I can not place you in any of the dominating houses with only one strong quality, I will put you in the house that, originally, was for individuals who had all of the qualities of the other houses. I know that unlike the rest of your housemates, you possess enough of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw to become unlike any other that has been seen within your house for quite a while now. Better be,' "HUFFLEPUFF!!!"


	7. Of First Impressions and Hogwarts TLC

**A/N: Hope everyone had a great Christmas! Well here's ch.7; please read and review. Cheers!!!**

"Does anyone know how they short us into houses? My older brothers, Fred and George, told me we had to fight something and that it was painful, but I think they were just joking." Ron Weasley said, while wiping off some dirt on his nose.

'Fight, something painful? Sure I know a few spells, like the _reparo_ spell and the _lumos _spell, but I don't know any fighting spells,' Hermione thought, as Professor McGonagall had just went back into the Great Hall. 'I thought I was getting ahead by learning the few spells already, but it seems that we are suppose to already know some magic. I'll be laughed at, just like how I was in the muggle world. I didn't have any friends there and I won't have any here. What will Harry think of me? I thought we were friends, but will he leave me as soon as he realizes how stupid I am?' She trembled. Just then, Harry placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned in, whispering, "Don't worry, I won't let any harm come to you." Hermione almost started crying, 'He cares for me. Hold on, that's right!'

_-Flashback-_

Hermione gazed at the book shelves. She loved to read and she loved to learn, so the sights of so many new books made her feel a little weak in the knees. One book that was on top of her list to get, for the moment, was a book about Hogwarts. The store manager had suggested a book called _Hogwarts: a History, _so she had set out to find it. She did, and just when she placed her hand around the books binding, another hand had placed itself on top of hers.

"Opps, sorry," Harry said, as he retreated his hand.

Hermione felt a little pink and said, "Its ok. You are getting that book also?"

"Yeah, I thought it would be a good idea to know something about the place we're going to be living at."

"Yeah, I know." The two parted once more, until Hermione call out Harry's name, "Harry! You're in this book! Take a look!"

As she shoved the book under his nose, Harry began shaking his head, "This book is worthless."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean that I have never been given an interview before, so how could these people know anything about me?"

"Oh, ok. I guess your right, how stupid of me." She set the book down and looked down.

"You're not stupid Hermione, just new. Tell you what, if you have any questions about anything, I'll do my best to answer them. Ok?"

She looked up smiling, "Ok."

_-End of Flashback-_

Hermione smiled, as then she also remembered how Harry had stood up for her after that blond boy made fun of her just because she was muggleborn. She now knew that as long as Harry was here, that everything would be alright, so she shuffled a little closer to him.

Soon enough, she had the sorting hat on, 'Oh my, I am sorry my dear, we here at Hogwarts do our best to try and make you feel safe. As you can see, I am no monster and from what I can see, you're one of the brightest witches I haven't seen since I was placed on top of a young Miss Lily Evans. Funny thing about the two of you, you both have the wit to have been on top in Ravenclaw, yet you both have the hearts to be in…' "GRYFFINDOR!!!"

Though Hermione was pleased that she was told that she was smart, she remembered what Harry had said on the train about wanting a friend who could get in Hufflepuff. As she was about to pass him to get to the Gryffindor table, she gave Harry a nervous glance. His kind, emerald green eyes were twinkling with respect, and he gave her a nice smile and nod, making her feel better. She made her way to the Gryffindor table, where she found a spot next to an older red-headed boy with a prefect's badge, who she learned was one of Ron's older brothers.

When it came to Harry's turn, whispers started.

"Harry Potter!" One person was heard.

"_The _Harry Potter!?" Came, another.

Harry sat down on the stool, as Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head, which was too small for the hat, covering half of his face. Hermione remembered how all sound was blocked out around her when she had the hat on, so she was happy that at least Harry couldn't hear the things people were saying.

"HUFFLEPUFF!!!" the hat had finally cried out!

The room was silent. Though Hermione expected Harry to go to the brave house of Gryffindor, or even the cunning Slytherin house, she never thought she would see him go to Hufflepuff.

There were many who thought the same. Many were surprised, but none so as Dumbledore.

'Hmm, how did this happen?' he pondered, 'Ah yes, I know….Harcle. What have you done Harcle? I know, somewhere, Tom is out there, just waiting to come back to power. I've never dreamed of making Harry a weapon, but I did want him to focus on what he needs to be able to defeat Tom so he could become the hero that the wizarding world needs.' The Headmaster popped a coffee flavor candy into his mouth and continued to watch.

Sound didn't change for Harry. As he placed the Hat back on the stool, he heard only silence with the crowd. That was until he heard a girl's voice cry out, "Yeah!! Go Harry!!" Harry found the girl the voice belonged to, and was barley surprised when he saw Hermione. He gave her a smile and went to sit with the other Hufflepuffs. The sorting continued, Harry only recognizing Ron and Neville, both going into Gryffindor, then Dumbledore got up, "Ah, what a _wonderful_ start, make us proud first years. Now I know you must all be hungry, so let's dig in!" And with a clap of his hands, mounds upon mounds of food appeared on the empty house tables.

There were many different choices for Harry to choose from, so he took a little bit of everything, then finding out that the food tasted excellent. In fact, he was just starting on his third plate when he noticed the people around him were staring at him. He knew he was eating with good table manners, as Harcle had drilled Harry to always show proper manners in any situation, so that wasn't it.

It continued to the fifth minuet of silence, until Harry set his fork down and asked, "What!?"

"Um, we were just wondering how you got sorted into Hufflepuff. I mean, it's great that you're here and all, but we're all puzzled how a great wizard, like yourself, got sorted into a weak house."

At Harry's frown, the people he was sitting near all shifted in their seats, "And what makes you think that this house isn't a great one, or in fact, the best one?" Getting no response, Harry continued, "My Guardian, Harcle, always told me how every house at Hogwarts was great, and that the only differences between them, all positive, were dominating characteristics found in people. Hufflepuff is supposed to be a house of loyalty, so tell me, what's so weak about that?"

For a moment everyone was quite, until "I couldn't have said any better, Mr. Potter," came the voice of a plump, black-curly haired women said behind them, "Good evening children, I am Professor Sprout. I am your Head of house and teacher for Herbology. As soon as the feast is over, the house prefects will show you to your dormitories. I know you have all weekend to explore and familiarize with the grounds, but I can't wait to have you all in class this Tuesday! If you have any questions, please feel free to come ask me or any of the Hufflepuff prefects. Well again, welcome to Hufflepuff and have a nice night."

After looking back at the others, Harry once again frowned and went back to eating. Not a second after he set his fork down, did Dumbledore explain how wonderful it was to have the school filled with life again, and reminded everyone that the Forbidden Forest surrounding the school was just that, forbidden. He talked about how if no one wanted to die a most painful death, they were to stay away from the third floor corridor, 'He must be guarding the stone there,' Harry thought. He dismissed the room for bed. The teachers were around the first to leave, followed by the older students. As Harry and the other Hufflepuffs were about to leave, following the prefects, they heard a scream by the Gryffindor tables. It was Hermione, and several other first years, pinned down with darts, thrown by what looked like a flying little man. Before anyone could act, Harry rushed over and stood in front of Hermione, just as a dart had been thrown towards her.

"Errt…" Harry was stabbed in the left shoulder. The flying little man dropped the darts and he started floating towards them. In his adrenalin rush and panic, Harry raised his wand and shouted, "_Animussubsisto_" which paralyzed the man, and dropped him to the floor. Harry turned, "Are you alright, Hermione?" She nodded, and then he passed out.

Harry awoke several hours later. Finding his glasses on a stand next to him, he slid them on and looked around. He was in a dark, white room.

"Hello?" he asked.

A light flickered on, and a witch with a white robe came to him. "Mr. Potter, how do you feel?" The witch said, waving her wand over him, taking what Harry knew was status spells for his vitals.

Harry rotated where his shoulder where he was stabbed, "Ok, just a little tired. Where am I? And how is Hermione Granger?"

"You are in the Hospital wing, and my name is Madam Pomfrey, I'm the school healer here at Hogwarts," she took her wand away and brought over, what seemed to Harry, to be a mild sleeping potion, "Your friend is just fine, you took the whole blow of the object that, that retched ghost threw at her. It's late, so I want you to take this; it's a potion to help you sleep." She helped Harry take a drink, then he drifted off to sleep.


	8. Of Castles and Metamorphmagus

**A/N: Hope everyone had a great Christmas! Thank you all for the love and support of reviews! In my hands right now, I'm holding all of my notes for the story. Hope you all like how things are going. I'm trying to get better, but please bare with me if you see some lame spelling or grammar. As for your questions, you have nothing to worry about. I did plan on answering all of your questions in my writing, but some, like the unforgivables, I don't want to talk about right now because I don't want eleven year old first years talking about them. Odin, Rain, Harcle, Lily, and Hufflepuff House will be connected in ways that I'm sure you'll all enjoy if you like how this story is going. I know it has been a couple of days since I have updated, but be reassured that I've spent some time going over my notes and such to make all of our answers fit. Well please review on this chapter, it's really important for my notes, cheers!**

Saturday morning found Harry up early, just as he always was, in the hospital wing. He was just finishing his breakfast, when heard, "Please, I must see him!"

Harry smiled, and then took his last bite of oatmeal. In came Madam Pomfrey, looking flustered, trying to calm a panicked Hermione.

"Harry," Hermione said, rushing to his side, "How do you feel?"

Harry stretched, "I feel fine," and with a glance at Pomfrey, he added, "In fact, I feel good enough to get out of here." When Harry had woken up this morning, he had a huge argument with the nurse to let him out of bed to explore the castle.

"Oh that's wonderful, Harry. Do you want to explore the castle today?"

"Yep, I think I have most of the grounds figured out, from when I had Rain explore when we got here last night, so today I want to find my way around before classes this Monday."

At the mention of classes, Hermione's face lit up even more, "Oh, yes. That sounds like a good idea!"

After Harry got up, he said his thanks to Madam Pomfrey and told Hermione that he'd meet her in the Great Hall in half an hour, so he could shower and get some fresh clothes on. He said goodbye, then took hold of Rain's, who came to him because he didn't have any idea where his dormitory was.

With a flash, the two were in the first year boy's dormitory. There were three beds around a fire place, which was in the middle of the room. Harry noticed that two boys were still asleep in the first two beds, and that his trunk and Rain's golden perch rested near the third.

Rain flew up onto her perch, _"Master, what do you think?"_

'**I think this will be alright.' **Harry laid some fresh clothes out, noticing that his school robes had Hufflepuff's colors, black and yellow, and went for a shower.

By the time Harry was ready to meet Hermione it was 8:24, giving him six minuets to get to the Great Hall. Again, not knowing his way around, Harry took hold of Rain's tail, and then they were off.

With the familiar burst of flame, Harry found himself in the Great Hall once more. Seeing Hermione sitting at the Gryffindor table, he went over to her, "Everyone must sleep in on Saturdays."

"Yeah, I know," she said as she closed the book she was reading, "So, where to first?"

"I was thinking we first find the class rooms on our schedules we got this morning. What's yours like?"

She took out her schedule, "I got a double in charms with your house and Herbology on Mondays, history and transfiguration on Tuesdays, Potions with the Slytherins and astronomy on Wednesdays, Charms with your house again and Defense on Thursdays, and Potions with the Slytherins and transfiguration on Fridays, you?"

"I have charms, then potions with the Ravenclaws on Mondays, Tuesdays I got transfiguration with the Ravenclaws and Herbology with the Slytherins, Defense with the Ravenclaws and History on Wednesdays, Charms and potions on Thursdays, and on Fridays I have transfiguration and Astronomy."

Hermione had a small smile, "Well, at least we have classes together two times a week. So, how about we go find our classes?"

"Ok," he turned to Rain on his shoulder, "Mind taking a walk with us?" In response, Rain gave a cheerful chirp and nuzzled his neck.

After two hours of figuring out how the stairs, doors, fake doors that were really walls, moving pictures, and other tricks worked, the trio make their ways to their assigned classrooms.

"Whew, this castle is bigger than I thought." Hermione said, as she took a seat on a near by bench.

Harry, taking a seat next to her, said, "Yeah, but I'm sure we'll get used to it." Harry did a lot of running around for the goblins back at Gringotts, so he was perfectly fine with the many fleets of stairs. Harry noticed that Hermione was breathing slightly heavily, so he said, "Rain, could you please get us a couple of cool drinks?" The bird flapped her arms happily and flamed away. In an instant later she returned, and in company with a little creature that was smaller than a goblin and more humbly dressed.

Harry recognized the creature to be a house elf, "Hello, what's your name?" Harry said, smiling.

"Dotty, Sir. Sir is requesting drinks for Sir and Mrs. Sir?"

If the two were not so interested talking to the elf, they may have noticed Rain give the elf a wink and flame away.

"Um, my name's Harry and this is my friend, Hermione," Harry said, waving to Hermione, who pinked slightly; unknowingly to Harry.

The house elf bowed, which caused Hermione to frown, "Why are you bowing? You're not a slave are you? I've read about some wizards using elves as slaves, the school wouldn't do that would they?" she said, a slight panic in her voice.

"I is not a slave, Miss Hermione. I is a proud elf, working for Hogwarts."

"But does that mean that the Headmaster is your master?"

"Yes and no. Sir is like my boss, but I is taking orders for Hogwarts."

Hermione looked a little confused, so Harry explained better, "In order for house elves to keep their magic, they need to serve others. Magic is what keeps them alive, so being free could kill them. Some places, like Hogwarts and Gringotts, take elves in as employees so they can continue to live while help whatever place they're caring for."

"Young Sir is right. Though I do need work in order to live, I is loving the work I finds here at Hogwarts. Now, if young Sir and Miss don't have any other needs, I shall be in the kitchens getting ready for lunch."

As the elf was about to apparate away, Harry stopped her, "Yes, uh, I was not informed where my house dormitory is, do you think you could show me?"

"Ah yes, I heard how that horrible ghost hurt young Sir. And yes, The Hufflepuff dormitory is right next to the kitchens, so it is no trouble at all."

Harry smiled, as the elf led the two children to the Hufflepuff dormitory entrance, which was behind a painting of a king bowing down to his servants. Dotty told them that in order to get in, one had to bow also.

The two had just found the charms classroom and were headed to the Great Hall for lunch, when they heard a whimper, followed by some sobbing.

Harry stepped in front of Hermione and they hugged the wall, the sound had come around the corner in the next hallway.

The whimper was heard again, followed by a different voice, "Come on, cutie. We just wanted to see you change again, so come on…lets see."

The voice told Harry that it appeared to be two or more boys against a girl and that all of them must have been in their sixth or seventh year.

Harry pulled Hermione close to him, "Run, get to safety!"

"B-but, what about you?"

Harry inwardly smiled, "I can't let them hurt the girl. Go get a teacher, please."

Hermione hesitated, and then left.

'**Rain! Rain, read my thoughts! Help me protect the girl!'**

'_Yes Master, I understand.'_

Harry jumped around the corner and unsheathed his wand; he saw a black haired girl huddled on the ground and three boys standing over her, all of them older then him by at least five years.

"Get back! Don't you _dare_ touch harm her again!"

At first, all three boys were startled, but then realizing that it was just some foolish first year they too drew their wands. "And who's going to stop us, piss-pants? You? You going to shoot sparks at us?" With that, the older boy shot a cutting hex at Harry, who tried to dodge, but his hand received a nick as the spell had curved in midair.

Harry grimaced, and he tightened his hold on his wand. The boys laughed, that was, until a shadow had darkened on Harry's face. With looks of horror, they screamed and started to run away, until a bright flare of fire stopped their escape. Penetrating their minds, Rain knock them unconscious.

Not understanding why they were afraid of him, Harry went to the girl. Thinking he was there to take over the assault, she curled up even further into a ball, "Please, I'll change into anything you want. Just don't hurt me."

"Shh, it's all right. I'm here to help you," Harry said, in his most calming voice. The girl hesitantly looked up at him, then at the boys who were under Rain's watch. Rain looked over and started to sing her song, calming both her master and the girl.

"_Emlaehmu!"_ Harry chanted, as he ran his wand, now dripping with blood coming from the cut on his hand, around the multiple wounds and bruises on the poor girl, "How does that feel?"

"Ahh, yes. Much better." She sat up straighter against the wall, "My cuts are going away, but how do you know healing spells? You're only what, a first year?"

Once Harry was satisfied that she'd be ok until she went to the Hospital wing, he said, "Yeah, just got sorted yesterday, and I live in a place where accidents happen often, so knowing a few healing spells helps a little."

"Oh, well thank you….um,"

"Harry, Harry Potter."

The girls eyes grew, "_The _Harry Potter!?" He nodded; she looked him a look over, "Wow! You really are a hero, aren't you?"

Harry blushed, "I was only trying to do the right thing. Besides, my phoenix, Rain, took care of the guys." Rain flew over and nuzzled his neck for the praise, then cried on his hand were he got cut.

"Aww, she's adorable."

Just then, Professor McGonagall turned the corner, followed closely by Hermione.

"Miss Tonks, Mr. Potter! Are you two all right? Where are-" She saw the three boys on the ground, unconscious, "How did all this happen?" She then looked at the fire bird on Harry's shoulder, "What's Fawks doing here?"

"Fawks? This is Rain, she's my pet Phoenix, "Harry said, as he stood up to address the professor, "Professor, it all started when Hermione and I came across Tonks and the three guys. They seemed to be overpowering her, telling her to change or something, so I sent Hermione for a teacher while I tried to scare them off."

Tonks nodded, then said, "Yeah, before Harry came, they came out from nowhere and pinned me against the wall. I tried to escape and tell them no, but they were so much stronger than me; they hurt me, groped me, and wanted me to," she glanced at Harry and Hermione for a moment, then said, "to use my powers to change my appearances to what they liked." By then, she was close to tears.

Professor McGonagall knelt down and hugged her, then said, "Mr. Potter, if you could have…Rain…take these _vermin _to the headmaster's room with this message," she wrote out a quick message, then handed it to Harry, "that would be a start." Harry gave the ok, and Rain did what she asked. "Now, let's get you to the hospital wing."

"Oh that's ok, Harry has already healed me!" Tonks said.

McGonagall looked her over, "Well you do look alright, but let's go just to make sure."

"I'm ok, really. Besides, I'm hungry and I want to think about this right now."

McGonagall sadly nodded in understanding, "Alright, if that is what you want." She then turned to Harry, "Mr. Potter, one hundred points to Hufflepuff for courageously aiding another student when the odds were against you." She turned to Hermione, "Miss Granger, fifty points to Gryffindor, for getting help in this serious situation. And Miss Tonks, fifty points to Slytherin, for standing up for yourself for not doing what was evil." She then addressed the three of them, "You all may go to lunch, and when you are done, and I would like you to come to see the headmaster for the dealings about the three assailants." She wished them goodbye, then walked away.

The trio went to lunch all deciding to sit together at the Hufflepuff table with Harry. When they were about to down, they heard a voice of Ron Weasley call from the Gryffindor table, "Hey Granger! Don't you know that's the Hufflepuff table? Our table is over here!"

"Yes, I know where it is! I just want to sit next to my new friends." She sat down next to Harry and Tonks, "Gosh, that guy is so annoying! All last night he tried to talk to me, asking me how good of friends I was with you, Harry. I mean, I tried being nice to him, but he wouldn't leave me alone, so I ended up going to sleep a little earlier then the rest to get away from him. I stayed up all night wondering if you were all right, Harry. They said I could see you I the morning, so I came as soon as I could."

Harry smiled at his friend, "Thanks Hermione." He looked on his other side, where Tonks was, "So Tonks, Professor McGonagall said you were from Slytherin, what year are you in?"

Tonks looked down, "I'm in my seventh year, but I finished most of my N.E.W.T.S. last summer, so I only have a few classes to do this year."

Hermione bogged out, "Wow, really!? You must know so much, and learned so much to get most of your seventh year courses done."

Harry agreed, "Yeah, you sound pretty smart."

Tonks looked down further, "I don't have any friends, mainly," She looked up for a second, "Because I'm a Metamorphmagus."

Harry perked up a little more, "Really? Me too! But so far, all I can do is change my hair length." At this, both Hermione and Tonks squealed. Hermione, because she was excited to see the magical ability and Tonks because she had given up all hope that she'd ever find someone like her.

"Oh Harry, this is wonderful!" She gave him a hug, then said, "But let's talk more about it when we have fewer eyes on us. Don't want to everyone asking to change into things all the time, trust me."

Harry calmed down, "So people don't take the time to get to know how great you are, they just want a show?" Tonks nodded. Harry had similar memories when he was a muggle, where he would be beaten for fun and have no friends to support him.

They continued to have small talk while they ate. Soon they headed off towards the staff table, where Professor McGonagall was waiting for them. She led them up to the seventh floor by a stone gargoyle.

"Hugs and Kisses," she said.

The gargoyle move aside, showing a spiral staircase leading to the headmaster's room. McGonagall was just about to knock, when a voice was heard, "Come."


	9. Of Headmasters and a Lake Plight

The gargoyle move aside, showing a spiral staircase leading to the headmaster's room. McGonagall was just about to knock, when a voice was heard, "Come."

They came into the room, the smell of books and candy instantly came to their senses. "Good after noon everyone," came the voice of Albus Dumbledore, "Please, have a seat." With a wave of his wand, four comfortable chairs appeared in front of his desk. The three students and teacher sat down.

"Lemon drop?" the headmaster asked, displaying a rather large bowl of different candies. The four declined, while he popped one into his mouth.

"Right now I have three, seventh year boys unconscious in my ready room," he waved his hand to his left, indicating to the door that lead to the room, "And from what Professor McGonagall has told me, they are here because of an assault on you, Miss. Tonks, is this true?"

Tonks shifted in her seat, then said, "Yes, and this hasn't been the first time." All the other people in the room froze, except for Dumbledore.

"This wasn't the first time they did this to you? How come I wasn't informed of this?" Dumbledore said, still in his calm posture.

"I was embarrassed, and I didn't want people to know about it."

Dumbledore closed his eyes, "I like to think of myself as a fair Headmaster, but I will not tolerate such evil acts, especially when they are done multiple times on someone. Fawks, if you could go and relieve Rain from watching the boys, please." The fire bird gave a chirp in understanding, and then flamed away. "I have a pensieve, which is a magical device that allows me to put memories into and observe as if I was there when the memory took place, and I have already reviewed all three boys' memories concerning you, Miss Tonks."

Tonks looked at the three unconscious boys, "Sir, what will happen to them? I don't want them to hurt me again."

Dumbledore took out some papers and started signing them, "They will all be expelled and will be trialed at the Ministry of Magic, so you have nothing to worry about when you begin your classes for the year."

"Thank you, Headmaster." Tonks said, while a happy tear ran down her face.

"No, I don't deserve your thanks, for I should have prevented this so that it never happened," Dumbledore said, as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Professor McGonagall, please have Professor Snape come to my office, as he is the head of house." She stood up, nodded, and then left down to the spiral staircase. Dumbledore then looked at the three students, "Professor McGonagall has already told me that Harry has already healed you, Nymphadora," Tonks gave a slight glare, which he returned with a smile, "but I would prefer it if you checked with Madam Pomfrey." Tonks nodded, and then he added, "Miss Granger, would you please go with her to keep her company, I need to have a word with Mr. Potter."

When the girls had left, Dumbledore said, "So Harry, what do you think of Hogwarts so far?"

"Well sir, though I am exited to learn magic, I feel like I need to keep my guard up a lot more then I first thought." Dumbledore frowned inwardly, this was not how he wanted Harry to feel, at least not until Tom started showing some signs of coming out.

"Well Harry, I'm sorry you feel that way, but I can promise you that I will do my best to make you feel safe here." Rain flamed into the room and landed on Harry's shoulder, nuzzling his neck.

"Ah, Rain is quite extraordinary. I haven't met another person with a phoenix as a familiar for quite some time."

Harry stroked her feathers, "Well you see, Sir, she came to me around my ninth birthday, and has been my friend ever since."

Dumbledore stroked his chin, "Hmm, I see. Harry, I was wondering if you could tell me what happened the other night."

Harry blinked, "Hermione was attacked, just as we were leaving for our dormitories, so I protected her."

Dumbledore's eyes showed a twinkle in them, "I see that you care for her. The ghost that you paralyzed, which I might add was clever, felt remorse for hurting you and has crossed over. He wanted you to know that he was only playing with her and meant no harm. He is in a better place now, so no need to worry about him anymore." Harry just nodded. "I would also like to know where you learned healing spells, Harcle perhaps?"

"Yes, Sir. Harcle taught me only healing magic for only a couple of years now. I wouldn't consider myself a full pledge healer, but I can do first aid healing and treat some mediocre wounds."

"Good, good. Healing others is a strong feeling found in most of our Hufflepuff students," Dumbledore said, as he thought, 'Ok, maybe that's why the sorting hat sorted him in Hufflepuff instead of a stronger house. Ahh, if only the hat could tell me what it saw in his head.', "One thing that does perplex me is that you were sorted into Hufflepuff and not Gryffindor, for you have shown a lot of bravery by putting your life on the line twice for people you have known for a little while. So I must ask, why?"

Without hesitation, Harry said, "The power to help others is by far stronger than having the power to hurt them. And what's wrong with Hufflepuff? I'd value any friend that went into that house. I could never turn down a friend who would stick with me until the very end. Most wizards today don't realize the power that comes from that kind of love."

For a split second, Dumbledore's eyes rose, 'Interesting, but I wonder how powerful he can become.' "I also have another question, well when I was looking at the boy's memories, you came to them and appeared to have a darker aura about you, know anything about that?"

Harry gave a perplex look, "No, I was wandering that myself. Must have been a trick of the shadows and my adrenalin to give me a scary face."

"Hmm, maybe. It's getting late in the afternoon, and I have some work to do. Have a good rest of the weekend, and good luck on your first class Monday."

Harry got up to leave, "Thank you, Sir." Then he left. As he made his way to the hospital wing, Harry ran into Hermione and Tonks.

"Hey, I thought you were heading to the hospital wing to make sure you are alright."

Hermione looked at Tonks in an "I told you so" kind of way. Tonks pinked, then shrugged, "I feel fine, and besides Madam Pomfrey has you stay in bed for the night for the smallest reasons."

"Well alright, but I want you to see her if you feel anything."

"Yeah, yeah. So, how about we go take a walk around the lake?"

Both Harry and Hermione agreed, so they went off for the lake. The lake was beautiful, even with the giant squid, which Harry had to wipe his mouth at when Tonks told him he couldn't eat it. Tonks talked about all sorts of neat things that the two first years found interesting, like the kinds of spells they would learn in classes, how her, and Harry's, power worked, and mostly what life is like at Hogwarts. "So, are you two together?"

Hermione pinked, as Harry said, "Yeah, but only in one class, charms."

Hermione started to redden, "N-no, Harry. She means if we're a couple."

Harry looked confused for a moment, until he finally got it, and redden also, "Oh, well I do know, she's my best friend." Hermione continued to redden, "I haven't really thought about that kind of stuff."

It was then the trio heard a noise behind them, "So, this is the Great Boy-Who-Lived? A weak little Hufflepuff, in company with a changeling whore and a dirty, little mudblo-"

_Crack_

Harry's fist collided with Draco Malfoy's nose and he took out his vibrating wand, with a shadow across his face Harry said, _"__**You will not touch or even think of harming my friends, you filth. Come near them again, and you'll be yenning for a break of my wrath! Now you two,"**_ Harry mentioned to the two goons next to Malfoy's downed form, _**"Take this grime away!" **_The two boys, looking both confused that Malfoy was beaten and clumsy, picked up their slop of a leader and left. Harry's face lightened, and then he looked at the pale faces of the two girls, "What's wrong?"

"Harry, that was, what was that?"

"Yeah, in all my years here, living with boys and all their fights and arguments, I've never seen anything like that."

"Like what?"

Tonks' hair changed from straight black to hot wire blue, "Well, how is it that you, a sweet-caring boy, took full control and just dominated the situation within a few seconds?"

"Huh? I just wanted them to leave you alone, and you're both my friends, I couldn't let the likes of him breath a negative word against you."

Hermione piped up, "What was that shadow?"

Harry looked down at his own shadow, "What shadow?"

"The one that was on your face when you defended us."

"You know, Dumbledore said something like that happened when I confronted the three boys earlier, could it be my magic?"

"I've never read or seen anything like that before," Hermione nodded in agreement, "Did you do anything particular?"

"No, I just had the urge to protect you, to get in the line of your danger, and drew my-" Harry snapped his wand to his face, "My _wand_!! I have a special wand from Ollivander's. He said that my wand core was from a summoned dark knight's heart, and that the knight sacrificed himself for a noble cause or other. Do you think I draw out some kind of special power when I draw it?"

"Again, Harry, I've never heard of something like that before. Wave it around, let's see if anything happens."

Harry did as he was told, and stopped when he got two shaking heads. "No, I don't see a shadow." Hermione said.

"Neither do I. Well, classes start in two days, let's see if anything happens."

"Ok," the dinner bell rang, "Lets worry about this later, I'm hungry." And the three headed for the Great Hall.


	10. Of First days and Flashbacks

**A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry its been so long. I had broken a few bones skiing, started school again, and I got a new job at a Hospital. R&R please! Take Care!**

"But, Father-"

"I said, no! Potter is too far in goblin protection, and if they turn on us, then most of our power and influence will be gone." The fire in the first year's dormitory crackled, when the flooed head of Malfoy Sen. used his flat, angry tone with his son, Draco.

"But Father, he insulted me! And as you always say, "A Malfoy is dominates over all," so why not punish Potter?"

The older Malfoy glared at his son, "He's too protected right now. Besides, it's your first day of classes; it would not be wise to show weakness to a Hufflepuff. Be patent, strike Potter when there's no one watching and his guard is away."

"Yes, father."

"Good, now get ready, you have a big day today." With that, his head vanished from the fire.

It was almost seven o'clock when Harry came back from his morning run around the grounds. As he had learned Sunday morning, his two roommates, Galen and Cecil, were late risers, so he knew he had hot water in their shared bathroom. Hot water pored over him and with some honey-tea body soap; he washed away the nerves he had for the day. As he looked into the mirror, he saw what four years had done to his skinny frame, as he was now lean with just a slightly muscular tone. The soap, which was wizarding soap, gave him a pleasing smell and made is unruly hair less fuzzy, yet it was still messy. He donned his fine threaded school attire, adding his new black and yellow tie, and left for breakfast.

Upon reaching the Great Hall it was about 7:45. Harry found himself a clear spot at the Hufflepuff table and started eating. It wasn't long until Hermione and Tonks met up him and sat on either side of him.

Tonks's hair was lime green today, "Morning, guys."

"Morning," Both Harry and Hermione replied.

"You two ready for charms?" Tonks asked, helping herself to some fried eggs and bacon.

Hermione excitedly said, "Yes, I can't wait to start!"

Harry finished his pancakes then said, "Yeah, I want to see some new magic."

Harry's lessons with Harcle were far different then charms. Not only was there no focus of the lesson with half with the students, but there was also a lot of clamor to concentrate. The professor of the class was Professor Flitwick, who was a very short wizard, with white hair and a squeaky voice. The class started with students finding seats, the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor students mostly sitting with their own house, except for Harry and Hermione. Professor Flitwick climbed up a stack of books behind his desk, so he could see over it, and took attendance.

Completing through the list of names he started, "Ok class, I am Professor Flitwick. You are in first year charms, and first class of the year! Here you will learn spells ranging from simple to challenging. I try not to give out a lot of homework, but I expect you all to work hard and learn what I know. Today, I thought we could start off with an easy spell, the levitation spell or Wingardium Leviosa." For the next hour, they took light notes on uses for the spell and how it worked. After that, he took out a box of feathers and sent them to each student with a flick of his wand. "Now before we begin, I would like you all to practice the wand movements, which is a nice round flick of your wand." For the next few minuets, the class practiced the wand movements. "Alright, I think you have that down now. Let's try saying the spell out loud, Wingardium Leviosa, come on now."

"Wingardium Leviosa" the class said as one.

"Good, good. Now I want you all to try the spell on your feathers, remember to say the spell nice and clear and to give your wand a nice round flick."

Harry and Hermione set straight to work. They imminently saw results, as their feathers moved a little, while the rest of the class's feathers either moved from their breathing or did nothing at all. It was Ron Weasley who made the first _spark _of shown magic. He said the incantation right, but gave his wand a gab, making his feather catch on fire. With a squeak from Professor Flitwick, he rushed over and handled the problem.

After getting rid of the ashen feather and renewing it, Professor Flitwick said, "Remember Mr. Weasley, the wand movement is a nice round flick. Try it again."

Ron did the simple spell again, but was so flustered that he stuttered the incantation wrong.

"Hmm, that's still not quite it. Keep trying." He moved over to where Harry and Hermione were.

"Wingardium Leviosa" A feather floated up, did a neat little flip and settled back down.

"Very good, Mr. Potter. Nice movement with the flip of the feather. Ten points to Hufflepuff. And how about you, Ms. Granger?"

Hermione completed the spell just as well, then allowed the feather to gently float back down onto the desk.

"Yes, yes! Very good! Ten points to Gryffindor. As you two are the first ones from both of your houses to successfully complete the spell, you are excused from today's homework." As the class was a moment away from ending, Professor Flitwick went to his pile of books, "Ok, class. As there are only one or two minuets left, for homework I want you all to write an three foot essay about the uses of today's spell. I hope you all enjoyed today's lesson!" The bell rang, and the class headed out for their next class.

"That was a fun class," Hermione brightly said to Harry, as they left the classroom, "Well, I'm off to Herbology. Have fun in potions!"

Harry smiled and replied, "Thanks see you at lunch."

The two soon parted ways, with Harry on his way to the dungeons. The dungeons were, by far, the coldest place in the school. Harry, who had lived with goblins keen about being on time, was one of the few to arrive early to class. The few there were Ravenclaws, who were huddled in the front, arguing over some notes spread over their desk. Wanting to be able to hear the professor well, Harry also choose a front desk seat. Soon the classroom started to fill with other students, both Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff alike, and as the last student found a seat a dark haired man with a hook nose entered and stood in front of the room.

"This is Potions, first year, for houses Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. I am Professor Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts." He was now almost sneering, "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," the man began after glaring the class down to silence. Harry had already set out his paper and pens, and began scratching down notes, "As there is little foolish wand-waving in here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death- if you aren't as bit a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." At this point, Harry was scrambling to note all of this down as he'd done in charms. The silence in the room drew his attention back up to the professor, whose pitch-black eyes were boring into the top of Harry's head.

Harry blinked as the professor started again, "Mister Potter, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Asphodel and wormwood were ingredients for several potions Gringotts used for traps to keep people out of the tunnels in the bank, but Harry could only think of one that required them to be infused together.

"Is it the potion of Living Death, Sir?"

The man blinked, and then asked another question, "Where would I find a bezoar?"

The goblins had a large quantity of goats milk in their diets and Harry remembered hearing some of the males complain about their wife's cooking, saying that they wouldn't live to see another day if it wasn't for their goats stomach stones.

"You'd have to dig one out of the stomach of a goat, wouldn't you sir?"

Another blink, and another question, "What's the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Harry wondered what he'd done to get pummeled with all of these questions; especially as even the Ravenclaws were flipping through their text books for the answers. Luckily for Harry, Gringotts ran charities for St. Mungo's Hospital that supported the werewolf disease potion that required these, or this as it was the same plant, "Their names, sir. Monkshood and Wolfsbane are alternate names for the herb also called aconite, which is used in the **Wolfsbane Potion** used for lycanthropy."

Snape glared at the goblin raised boy. 'He must think he's so smart for answering these easy questions', "Ok, Potter, now answer me this, let's say you and someone else were poisoned and you only had enough antidote to cure one person. What would you do?" Snape grinned inwardly, 'The idiotic ass probably doesn't know and would want to save himself.'

It wasn't hard for Harry to come up with an answer for this question, "I'd give the antidote to the other person, sir."

Snape was surprised to hear this, 'He'd rather save the other's life?' "Yes, that would save the other's life, but how would you survive?"

Harry, again, took no time in answering, "I guess I wouldn't."

Snape smiled, "Ah, I suppose fame isn't everything, Mr. Potter." He then addressed the rest of the class, "Mr. Potter is wrong, you'd-"

Harry slammed his fist on his desk, "I am not wrong! As long as the one I am protecting will survive, then my survival is of little consequence, because the power to help others is by far stronger than having the power to hurt them. Most wizards today don't realize the power that comes from that kind of love."

Snape froze in his seat.

_-Flashback-_

As young Snape entered the train compartment, wanting to find his friend before the train reached Hogwarts for their fourth year, he saw her. Young Lilly Evens was sitting with her cat, Pickles, scratching his ears and petting his black frame.

"Oh hi, Sev, ready for another year?"

Snape sat across from her, "Yeah, I can't wait to show Professor Slughorn my independent study from this summer."

Lilly rolled her eyes and smiled, "Do you ever think about anything else besides potions?"

'I think of you.'

Just then, James Potter and his three friends came into the compartment, "Lilly, my flower, how are you?" He then looked at Snape, "What are you doing here?"

Snape stood up in anger, "What's it to you, Potter?"

"My girlfriend is in here, you-"

"Oh, I didn't think you cared for Black in that way." Lilly laughed at Snape's joke, causing James to redden.

"Shut up, you fucken death eater!"

And right before James's spell could curse her friend, Lilly sent a _consulo _charm at him, which reflected the curse and sent the four boys flying.

Snape looked at her, "I would have been fine," he said as he showed her that his wand was on his side, "I would have reflected his spell and attacked him further."

"And that's why I casted the spell in the first place. Sev, you've got to learn that the power to help others is by far stronger than having the power to hurt them. Potter got what he deserved, but you didn't need to harm him anymore. Now, tell me about your summer studies."

He looked at her for a moment, "Ok, well it all started when I ran out of antidote for this potion…"

-_End of Flashback-_

After regaining from his inwardly shock, Snape said, "Um, yes. Though Mr. Potter is right, you would want to use an Effingo Potion, which would copy any liquid or potion that comes in contact with it." He looked more at Harry then the class as a whole, just before he did turn to them and barked out, "Why aren't you writing this down?"

Harry shook his head as he faced his paper. He took notes from the lecture as diligently as possible. Throughout the rest of the class, Harry scribbled his notes quick as he could, this man spoke quietly, but he sure could pack a lot of words into one breath.

"Now that you've had sufficient background, we will begin," the blackboard behind Professor Snape suddenly was covered in words, and Harry blinked for a second before scribbling the information onto a clean sheet of paper quick as he could. Meanwhile, the professor was explaining that they would break into pairs and would brew a potion that cured boils in class. Harry paired up with a dark haired girl named Susan Bones. Together, the two worked at a steady pace. The class time was almost up when they headed up to give Professor Snape a sample of their work.

"Good work, Mr. Potter and Ms. Bones, you'll receive an Outstanding for this assignment." Harry started to head back to their seats, when Snape said, "Oh, and Mr. Potter," Harry turned back to him, "Never cut me off again, understand?"

Harry nodded in reply, saying "Yes, Sir." Then finished his first day of class.


End file.
